


Love Boats Don't Exist

by Merpme



Category: Treasure Planet (2002)
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Comedy, Epic Friendship, F/M, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Romance, Science Fiction, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Everything, Slow Romance, Space Pirates, Tragedy, big tangent, can it be considered romance, gay space pirates, the slowest romance, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24135826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merpme/pseuds/Merpme
Summary: Jim sets out on his journey to find Treasure Planet.Wren is a very odd space pirate.Silver has enough trouble looking after one teenager, why are there two?Together they all embark on an adventure across the galaxy and learn how to live in a world not built for them.  Discovering more about each other, and making friendships along the way.Follows the movie, with many, many, detours.
Relationships: Jim Hawkins & John Silver, Jim Hawkins/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	1. The Bird on His Shoulder

John Silver walked heavily, his boots treading loudly on the dark cobblestones. His belt clinked as he swayed from side to side comfortably looking around at the bustling city with people sweeping around him. The bright colors and passing talk floating in and out of consciousness, melding into a gentle rumble of conversation.

"You're it!"

Children laughed and shrieked playing tag in the dusty streets, bare feet pattering around weaving among the crowd.

"Go! Go!" the gaggle of children dispersed squealing and shrieking. Two small boys ran past and Silver turned to let them by as they darted away laughing glancing over their shoulders. He watched them run away and smiled at their joy their naïve innocence.

"Wait guys!" he turned just in time for a small girl to crash into him.

"oof!" She bounced off the sturdy man and landed hard on her rump.

"ow." She said skidding to a stop on the hard stones ill fitted dress crumpling underneath her.

She rubbed her small rear before glancing up at Silver golden eyes growing wide as she saw the large man tower over her.

"oh! Sorry!" she said in a small voice, cowering underneath his shadow.

He backed up, "oh no, it's fine." Behind him he heard a shriek of laughter that caused both of them to look in that direction.

The small girl scrambled to her feet, "guys! Wait for me!" She ran away disappearing into the crowd. Silver shook his head smiling and continued his trek.

Finally entering a bar he pushed open the swinging doors and strode inside, several shadier patrons glanced up at his arrival before looking back down trying to look nonchalant; those would be the criminals. Silver plopped himself down at the bar, belts clinking and jangling as he settled in. The octopus looking barkeep placed a beer in front of him with one of his four arms, nodding a greeting. Silver twitched a grin in thanks and wrapped one of his large hands around the mug taking a swig of the foaming beer grimacing at its taste. He took a quick glance around the dark room, the hushed conversations of shadier characters almost covered the silence, almost. There were secretive whispers of robberies, bribes, and murder; but nothing of interest to the pirate looking for business. Just as Silver was about to give up on his endeavor two frog men walked in, bow legged as all frog men were, they sauntered casually up to the bar swaying awkwardly on green legs flat footed feet slapping the dusty wooden floor. They tilted their fat heads attached to bloated green bodies without necks, using their large floppy caps to hide their faces. One squatted on a stool next to Silver his back turned to the unemployed pirate and the other sat on the stool next to the other facing his partner. Silver raised the mug to his lips watching the two from the corner of his eye.

"I told you, that shipment is trouble, we shouldn't be doing this." Said the paler one whispering.

The muddier colored one growled, "Don't say that, we have to go through with this, he wants us to do this. And you know what 'appens to people who don't do what he says." The brown one looks pointedly at his taller companion gulping down the beer placed in front of him.

"But if it's such a big load then why is he making us do it?" the green one said worriedly.

His fatter companion replied, "It's c'use we're small fry, and if we want to move up we need to prove we can do this."

The tall one was looking green, or greener. "It just doesn't feel right…" he said softly.

The brown one narrowed his eyes. "I ain't care if it don't feel right, we're doin it." He swigged his beer wiping his wide mouth aggressively with the back of his hand.

"And what if we can't?" said the scared one.

The brown one glanced up, "then I'd shoot myself before Jones can git me," he took a sip and looked at his companion, "and you'd best shoot yourself to."

The pale one swallowed and looked down at his lap. Silver heard all this with perfect clarity and he smiled into his mug. Blake Jones, a pirate turned King of Thieves, he owned this town and the next five towns over, the sewage in the gutters practically ran with his filth, the streets were filled waist deep with his muck. The poor lived in fear of him, strangled under his hold, hoping that he never turned his attentions on them and the rich sucked on his milk and kissed his boots, hoping they would not be the next ones to be thrown out onto the streets by igniting his very short temper. Blake Jones was the lying murdering king of an underground kingdom and a man marked for a fall.

Silver raised the mug to his lips and smiled, a very hard fall.

The pale frog man croaked, gulping nervously and sweating through his green skin, the brown one looked at the other and sighed finished his beer. He hopped off the stool and shuffled in his pockets he left a few coins on the bar. Shifting the cap on his smooth bulbous head he nodded for his companion, who hurried after him almost tripping over his webbed feet, and they both left, the wooden doors swinging after their departure. Silver looked after them, Jones's fall was going to start with those two minnows, he swallowed the rest of his beer and reached for his belt. His eyebrows shot up as he noticed the vacant space on his belt, he glanced down at his belt and saw the usual purple pouch for his money was missing. He patted his pockets hoping that he had just absent mindedly stuffed it in one of his pocket, no, no, no! He felt no familiar bulge, no comforting sound of coins clinking together. Where could it possibly be? He suddenly flashed back to the little scrap of a girl that had ran into him. That dirty little urchin had stolen his purse! Silver cursed under his breath, how had he let the girl get his coins? His precious beautiful coins? He was a pirate, a very successful pirate, and he had allowed himself to get robbed by some tiny mouse of a filcher. He groaned and rubbed his face, he was getting rusty. Still angry at himself he reached a large hand into his shirt and pulled out his second purse and muttering curses in several languages he pulled out two copper coins and slammed them on the bar. Stuffing the blue bag back into the secret folds of his shirt he stormed out of the bar his pride suffering and calling for a certain thief's blood.

Wren huddled against the side of the stone building her nose wrinkled in anger. She hated this, she hated them, and she hated Jones. She had reported to the older boys, purple purse held in her hands and they had took it from her. They ripped it open and poured the coins out into one of their dirty palms, and while they counted out the gleaming coins Wren had stood there chewing her lip looking at her dirty bare feet summoning up the courage to finally ask them. They finished counting, or miscounting as it were, and she was still urging the words out of her mouth, they waved her away greed filling their eyes as they slid the silver coins back into the pouch.

She took a deep breath and clenching her fists stepped forward, "can I join your crew now?" she asked in a small voice, how she hated her small voice.

They both glanced up at her taking in her small self, all knobby knees and elbows dirty black hair framing her gaunt face. One boy scoffed and the other stalked up to her, she had to stop herself from stepping back and clenched her jaw in determination.

"You? What do you think we are? Some charity? Go, before the coins you brought us ain't worth our time anymore." He threatened.

She felt the rage boiling inside her. "But!"

Wren spat the mud from her mouth, her knees and hands felt raw and stung. She glanced back at the stone steps the boy had had tossed her down. She rubbed the mud off her arms and picked herself up nearly trembling in anger. It was unfair. She brought in double what their crew got and what did she have to show for it? A bruised knee and scraped palms. She spat out some more mud trying to get the taste out of her mouth. It was because she was small, she angrily paced down the winding streets sewage flowing around her. She was better than all of them, but just because she was small no one wanted her. Damn it! She should have just taken the purse and ran, that was one of the biggest hauls she had ever filched, just the thought of all those shining coins slipping through her fingers and being dirtied by those stupid boys. She quickened her angry pace wanting to kick something, but knew that was a bad idea in her shoeless state. She could've been set for two months with that amount of silver, she could've gotten meat and actual fruit and fresh bread, she could've bought a good knife, something of which she sorely needed the old one being nothing more than an inch long shard of glass wrapped in rags she had taken from the garbage, she could've bought clothes and shoes! God! she could've bought shoes! She could've bought a blanket something warm for the frigid nights, she could've gone to bed full, with cheese and something other than garbage to fill her stomach. And shoes! She could've bought god damn shoes! The more she thought about it the angrier she got practically fuming when she ran into someone.

"ow!" she cried angrily ready to punch anyone at this point, a curse laying ready on her tongue.

Her eyes widened seeing the familiar towering figure, speak of the devil. A look of surprise quickly replaced the angry one, and a look of fear quickly replaced that. She turned ready to hightail out of there, unfortunately Silver was ready for her, her small feet beat against the air as she was lifted into the air by her collar.

Silver looked at the struggling thief kicking the air.

"Let go of me! Let go!" she yelled angrily twisting and turning suspended in his grip.

She was light as a feather and he could tell the kid was way undernourished by the skinny arms punching at him. She jerked and wrenched around trying to make him let go fighting with all the strength her small body could give her.

"Well, well, look what we have here." Silver said mockingly. The girl glared at him, she struggled vainly against the larger man. "Looks like I've caught myself a little theif."

He grinned at the little girl, and she stilled, only to spit venom at the pirate.

"You gutter snipe! Pig! Gorathian lorgak! Fat hoygab! Let me go! Grotesque moraqk! Let me go!" she screamed resuming her struggling even more vigorously.

Silver's eyebrows raised in surprise "What a dirty mouth this little thief has, and she even has the gall to yell for help when she was the one who stole from me."

He raised the girl to his face giving her a hard look and the little thief quieted trembling with anger, golden eyes glaring into his dark ones. Silver was mildly surprised at the girl's extensive knowledge, even cursing him in languages from the farthest reaches of the Coral galaxy a language that's been dead for a hundred years.

"Okay girl, give me back my purse." He said threateningly. He looked at the girl, who glared back at him, they stared each other down for a while golden eyes narrowed at dark ones, finally the huge gold ones glanced to the side, the owner muttering something.

"What?" Silver asked shaking the girl, patience running out, "speak up girl!" the girl glared up again at silver.

"I don't have it!" She shouted angrily.

Silver's mood instantly darkened, he stuck his face right up to her small one, "then who has it?" he asked slowly.

The girl clenched her jaw and grit her teeth together, "it's probably on its way to Jones now." She said coldly.

He set the girl down and turned away to curse, he tightened his grip on the back of her shirt when he felt her tugging and lifted her back up to his face and she struggled some more.

"Very well," He paused an idea coming to him a slow evil grin spreading across his face. "Then you're going to help me get it back."

Wren hated being small, she wished she could just beat up people whenever she wanted, she wished she could be intimidating and scary so that she no longer had to cower and concede to people even when her voice was telling her NO! She gave a half-hearted tug at her dress, more of a potato sack then a dress really, but the man's grip was like iron and there was no way she was getting free. She wished she was big enough to grab his thick meaty wrist and flip him onto the street, or to break his grip, or something; but all she could do was wriggle around helplessly as he dragged her down the street. At least she was too small to turn tricks, she had seen the older, bustier girls use their bodies to earn money and Wren nearly spat in disgust. Her small skinny self was unappealing to males looking for a romp, besides she would rip out their parts before letting them get near her; that much she could do. She twisted again grunting. She had tried wriggling out of her dress to no avail, she had tried to bite him but her head didn't twist around that far, so she resorted to flailing every so often hoping to catch the sturdy man by surprise.

"You're never gonna get it back you know!" she shouted over her shoulder, "Jones never lets go of his loot, he'll rip your throat out before you get close."

Silver brings the girl to face him, "and why do you care?"

She bares her teeth, "cause he'll rip my throat out too." She said coldly, and spat, "just because some lumbering, clumsy, idiot who let his purse get stolen is dumb enough to try and get it back!" She glared at him, and Silver grinned, he like this girl, to cram that much fire and spirit into such a small body was impressive.

"It sounds like you don't like me."

"Of course not, you dumb jurpib!" she yelled

Silver responded calmly, "but you don't like Jones either."

That shut her up. Silver smiled, oh so she doesn't like him. He saw her glare at him gritting her teeth.

He then planted the bomb, "I'm going to make him pay by unloading some of his goods for him. And you can help if you wish."

The small girl had frozen still as a statue. The tiny viper had literally stiffened up rigid as a board in his hands. Silver waited looking into her face. She was burning a hole into the ground with her angry glare.

"Do you hate me or Jones more?"

She immediately looked up at him and said flatly, "I hate you." Spouting it nonchalantly.

Then she grinned, "But I really hate Blake Jones."


	2. The Universe Screwed Me Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's bring our characters together!

Clank! Clink. Clank! Clink. Pause… Clank! Clink, squeal! Rattle! Rattle. Clumpclumpclump.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

"Sorry!" Sigh. Clank! Clink. Rattle. Pause. Clunk!

"Do you know the way to the 67th pier?" Clunk! Rattle.

"Circuit 8 on your right." Rattle, clink.

"You can't miss it." Clack, chink! Clump, clump. Clank! Stare, stare, stare.

"Thanks." Rub face, and sigh. Rattle, Clank! Clink. Thud. Pause. Clump, thud. Pause. Clink, Long pause…

"It's the suit isn't it?" Jim stopped mid sigh and looked up at Dr. Doppler, "no…" he trailed off unsure on how to continue since, yes, it was definitely the suit.

"I never should've listened to that two headed sales man!" clunkity Clank! "This one said it fit, that one said it was my color!" The doctor flailed his arms about looking even more ridiculous, if that was possible moaning to his young companion about his strange problems.

"I didn't know what to do!"

Jim had long since tuned out the rambling doctor. Looking around at the people he searched for a ship that couldn't be missed. Stepping carefully around a stall of bouncing melons, Jim looked back and forth seeing many things that couldn't be missed, a giant man comprised entirely of whirling grains of sand, small beaked creatures wobbling around underfoot, six legged tribesmen from the Planet Erram, their leathery skin hanging in loose folds from their long protruding necks attached to small heads that swiveled around strangely staring at everything with large vacant eyes. He heard conversations about death and life and about things in between. Some conversations brushing past his sharp ears never to trigger a meaning, the bear people of Solomga gargling harsh sounding words to each other, the hissing language of the lizard people crawling around on their stubby legs, sinister black eyes shifting from side to side, red tongues darting in and out tasting the dusty air, a language comprised entirely of pips and squeaks the users bouncing up and down out of a jewelry store. Jim saw a quick fingered runt brush past a man and come away with a wallet, dirty face and hollow cheeks grinning from ear to ear, he saw store clerks sell blue pendants and hot sandwiches, hollering at the top of their lungs eager to get some buyers for their over-priced goods, the tourists drawn to flashy ornaments sparkling in the sun, their bright floral shirts practically screaming, someone come and swindle me. Jim watched and observed listening and learning. The city embracing him a blanket of anonymity, folded hidden in its folds. He turned and was suddenly faced with the most beautiful think he ever saw. His mouth opened slightly and he stood gazing in amazement, blue eyes widening a slow smile spreading across his face. He was enraptured by her beauty sitting serenely at the dock. He stood rooted to the spot people passing by him, of no importance anymore.

Clank, clunk, "…and I just get so flustered!" Crash! Jim stumbled forward bumped by the doctor's metal belly.

"Sorry!" Dr. Doppler adjusted his glasses shaking his head. Jim ignored his apology and continued to stare at the new love of his life. Dr. Doppler did a double take and caught his stare, "Oh Jim!" he grinned, "This is our ship!" He said proudly, "The R.L.S Legacy!" He announcing gesturing grandly.

Jim stared at the elegant space ship in awe. Cranes lifting wooden crates on board, ropes and beams moving in an ever changing beautifully messy pattern as the crew clambered around loading the magnificent vessel. There was shouting and ordering on the ship the general noise making a very pleasant sound. She herself was tall and shining. Glowing in a beautiful golden light, blue accents lighting her sides, pulsing with power. Her solar sails tied tightly to the mast. The Legacy was beautiful and Jim fell instantly and madly in love with her.

Clunk, squeal! Jim cringed. The creaking sound of Dr. Doppler's suit was really starting to grate on his ears. But despite the constant rattling and clanking that accompanied Dr. Doppler and therefore Jim everywhere, Jim couldn't smother the smile that broke out across his face. He let out a quiet laugh looking up at the soaring masts and couldn't believe he was really here. He turned in slow circles trying to take everything in. The joy on his face a long missed sight that recently could only be placed there by breaking the law and doing death defying tricks. He never meant for it to go this far. It's not like he wanted to get in trouble, it's not like he wanted to make his mother cry. He just wanted to be free, to live, to have a little excitement. He wanted to get out of the inn, out from under everyone's judging eyes and from under his mother's disappointed gaze. He just wanted to escape the prison he was trapped in for so long that when he finally did get out he just… just… Jim sighed, he felt awful for being so happy when his mother was probably worrying herself to death, it wasn't fair to her, it wasn't fair that he got stuck isolated on that hill top, stuck in that inn, it wasn't fair that somebody burned down that inn and his only home and took away everything he ever knew. It wasn't fair, but the world wasn't fair, life wasn't fair and here he was laughing in the light of the sun despite the odds that said he never ever would. Jim was a sailor, it ran in his blood and those born riding the light of the stars will return to them. Yes, here he was laughing in the face of fate, the happiness ready to burst from his chest. Laughing from the insurmountable hope of anticipation and excitement that might be misleading but Jim couldn't bring himself to care, because finally. Finally, in what felt like a thousand years he felt like he was alive. He felt like he was home.

Giddy, was the only word to describe it, giddy. Jim wasn't giddy. Jim was never giddy. Yet here he was twirling around like a school girl in a shoe store. Giddy, the word tasted bad in Jim's mouth, and it felt so wrong, he was supposed to be the stoic, calm, couldn't-care-less, solar surfing boy. Not some bumbling absentminded geek. He tried to fix a stern expression on his face but was failing miserably. With the way this was going he was going to end up like Dr. Doppler.

Clank, clump, rattle. "Wow! Look at the trajectory of those spacegulls! Fascinating." The doctor ran to the side of the boat trying to lean out and see them, but finding it difficult with the metal belly that protruded three times too large from his suit.

Jim shook his head, no, he'd never end up like Dr. Doppler at least he hoped to god he never would. The doctor ran past him rattling and clanking all the way, clink, rattle, rattle, clink, "look! Look! There they go!" He pointed excitedly. Jim laughed nervously watching the doctor and suddenly felt he had to make it official, god please don't let me end up like him, he prayed up to some sort of higher being. Not that there was anything wrong with Dr. Doppler. Jim just had an aversion to looking like a complete and utter fool.

The doctor was shouting something about wingspan and aviation when Jim caught sight of a crate sailing over the side of the ship clattering loudly on board. Jim leapt back, surprised if nothing else, he looked around confused where the heck did that come from? Then a girl followed the crate, launching herself over the ship's wooden railing. Loose billowing white shirt flapping in the wind, hair swirling around her, vaulting in a serene smooth arc alongside the crate. She lands firmly on the deck, flying hair settling around her shoulders, booted feet casually resting on the ship's wooden planks.

She shifts her weight smoothly from front to back and turns, "hey! Everything's loaded!" She shouts over her shoulder tapping the crate. Jim stared at the girl, did she just throw that crate onto the ship? How the heck did she throw that onto the ship? The think was easily as big as she was and probably heavier. How in the world did she get that onto the ship? Jim looked at the girl who was talking to someone to his right, she didn't have any extra arms, she didn't have pink skin or a third eye, she looked like a regular good old-fashioned human, with two hands, two feet, and no extra elbows. Actually for a human, the girl was beautiful, in a terrifying exotic kind of way, piercing golden eyes shone fiercely from underneath express eyebrows. Black hair swirling around her, high cheekbones and a stubborn chin framing a face comprised of full lips and a small nose. She paused settling her weight on her heels looking at someone, listening while they shout something at her and a grin breaks out on her face.

"Well do it yourself then!" she says, a smile playing on her lips. While the recipient yelled something she crossed her arms leaning against the railing, listening with a confident grin on her face. She lifted her chin at the sailor's remarks and shouted, "go ahead and try!" The man shouted something and the girl laughed as the speaker continued. Jim was enraptured by the girl's animated face. The harsh smile seemed to be a permanent fixture on her lips, one side pulled up farther than the other, flashing brilliant white teeth, natural, charming, and horrible for the recipient's heart. It gave her a dangerous aura, telling of exiting adventures and mysteries in faraway lands, unspoken dangers and years of life threatening experiences that her grin had stuck on for. She was the very image of any romanticized sailor depicted in a million story books. Charming, confident, and charismatic. Dangerous smile playing across a deceptively relaxed face. A wicked glint in her eye told of her spunky personality. She looked the part, open collared white shirt tucked into dark pants, and dark pants tucked into black leather boots, very clean leather boots. Several belts looped around her small waist, hung with an assortment of various pouches and several knives. Mesmerizing, strong, and independent. And she was a girl, which made her all the more appealing to an equally daring and independent boy.

The golden eyed girl continued to joke around with the sailor, comfortably seated against the rail. She fell silent still grinning and nodding sticking a toothpick between her brilliant white teeth. Her eyes drifted away from the speaker, not really listening any more, sliding to land, quite by accident and statistically a certainty, on Jim.

The boy never stood a chance. Because the cosmos decided today, the biggest day of Jim's life, to tack on another complication it had owed him since he entered that awkward faze between child and adult; it decided to throw in the downfall of every man to ever grace the earth and otherwise. Jim didn't know yet that the universe had decided to royally screw him over, give him the cosmic middle finger, to have fate put a proverbial road block to any emotional contentment for the rest of his life. The universe threw in the one thing that would, with complete certainty and impunity, destroy any young man. The universe, gave him a girl.

Jim's eyes widened embarrassed to be caught staring, but the girl's grin didn't falter.

She turned to him and raised a hand in greeting, "hey."

Jim turned red against his will, feeling his face heat up and for once unable to say or do anything, his usually snarky comebacks sadly lagging. He felt like he wanted to run away.

"Hey…." He said awkwardly and taking a step back. His backwards step was met by an outraged "Phbtttttt!" The girl's eyebrows shot up in surprise as Jim turned around to be faced with an infuriated pink flabby slug looking thing.

"sorry! Sorry."

The slug looked down at the shoe print embedded in what Jim assumed was part of its foot, and back up angrily, "Phbbt, Fuppt, Derepth! Thibbit!" it indignantly phbted. Jim could hear muffled giggling behind him and turned even redder.

"Furp! Furp! Bwep! Thbit!' The slug blew at him and Jim looked faintly confused and even more annoyed as he blew away one of his strands of hair displaced by the enraged rear end noises.

Clank, clank! "Don't worry Jim, I'll handle this!" Dr. Doppler said, and Jim nearly sighed knowing the doctor could only make this worse since embarrassing was practically stamped across his metal forehead. The doctor stuck out his tongue and inflated his cheeks.

"Thbbbbbbbbtttt. Theemph, squirt squeak, thmbbbg, ththththththtttt. Fupt, thibbit."

There was a moment of silence as the slug creature looked at the doctor incredulously and Jim smacked his forehead. Then it burst out into a series of squeaks that could only be described as laughter. The doctor took his hand out from his armpit and smiled, clonk.

"I'm fluent in Flatulla Jim, took two years of it in high school." He saluted the slug, "thbttt." And walked away.

Clunk, clink, rattle. Jim patted his hair back in place still confused but slightly impressed, flatulla, cool.

"Actually its theewpt."

Jim turned around surprise etched on his face one hair sticking straight up. He came face to face with a brilliant smile nearly blinded by it unable to speak for a moment.

"Uh…" She looked at the surprised boy nearly laughing at his wide eyed shock and a hair sticking straight up like a spire.

"He called both of you lumbering qumquats." Jim was still unable to say anything and the girl flashes another sympathetic smile, "make sure your friend gets it right next time." she pats down his hair and winks. With one last impish grin she turns and walks away leaving a stunned Jim Hawkins behind in her wake.

Let it not be said that the universe didn't get back at people who laughed at fate, because the universe truly and utterly did get Jim Hawkins that day. The boy who dared laugh in the face of fate got completely and absolutely obliterated, and all the universe had to do was send a certain golden eyed, rebellious girl with a complicated past to conquer the offender. But she was another story, the universe didn't know what it was signing up for when they sent her, because she had defied the universe for years and years, and had gotten quite good at it. The Universe made a mistake pairing the two together, somewhere in the grand scheme of things its logic was flawed, because anyone could see putting two rebellious teenagers together would only make Jim even more stubborn. It had made the problem worse. The universe was trying to bend a queen of defiance and it was by no means ready. Wren was the universe's nightmare, or a nightmare for any matchmaking force great or small, because Wren new that love boats don't exist.

"Come on men! Heave together now!" The MountainMan stood erect looking smart in his tailcoat that strained at his broad shoulders, his stony skin contrasting with the red velvet. His loud stern voice echoed out to shout orders at the crew. Dr. Doppler walked over to him, clanking along unsteadily.

"Good morning captain!" he saluted, "everything ship shape?"

The MountainMan turned and answered flatly, "Ship shape indeed." He smiled. "But I am not the captain."

Dr. Doppler's eyebrows shot up, "huh?"

The stone skinned man pointed up, "The captains aloft."

Jim and Dr. Doppler looked up to see the feline captain flip off the mast and swing on a rope to somersault and land at attention on her feet. Dr. Doppler's visor banged shut. The captain paced on her high heeled boots talking at rapid pace.

"Mr. Arrow I've checked this miserable ship from stem to stern and as usual, it's spot on, can you get nothing wrong?"

The man smiled, tipping his hat, "You flatter me captain."

She waved him away and turned to the out of place looking pair, one more out of place than the other.

"Oh! Doctor Doppler I assume."

The doctor was tongue tied stuttering unsure what to say. Jim smiled, cat got your tongue?

"Uhh… I uh, uhh, yes!"

The captain stepped in, "hello!" she knocked on his helmet, "can you hear me?"

That got the doctor back into sorts, "yes I can hear you! Stop that banging!" He shook his head and tried to pull off the helmet.

The captain looked at his strange suit and put her claws on the rectangle protruding from his stomach, "If I may doctor this works so much better when it's right way up" she twisted and pulls out a wire whirling the doctor around, "and plugged in." she sticks it in the back sparks running through the suit. "Lovely, there you go."

He angrily turned to face her finally managing to pop his helmet off, "thank you!" he grabs the plug from his back, "but I think I can manage my own plugging!" he shakes the end of the plug at her offended.

She ignores his outraged cry and grabs his outstretched hand and shaking, the plug spinning back into his suit.

"I'm Captain Amelia, lately had a few run ins with the Pearson armada, nasty business but I won't bore you with the details if you must ask." She spouts out quickly with a no nonsense tone, Jim and the doctor barely keeping up.

She turns to her friend, "You've met the first officer Mr. Arrow. Sterling! Tough, Dependable! Honest, brave and true." She said rapidly punctuating each word with a gesture. He bows slightly blushing, a strange thing to do for a man with stony skin, "please captain…"

"Oh shut up harry, you know I don't mean a word of it." She says offhandedly.

Dr. Doppler interjects feeling left out. "I hate to interrupt this, lovely banter but may I introduce to you. Jim Hawkins, you see Jimmy is the boy who found the treasure…"

"Doctor!" The captain squeezed his mouth shut with her claws, she looks around cat eyes sliding left and right. "May I have a word with you in my office?"

Jim turns the metal map around in his pocket feeling the bumps and ridges that made up its surface. The map had been the cause of all the recent strange events in his life, a turtle man named billy bones, dying in his living room, pirates burning down the Benboe Inn. It was a lot of trouble for a tiny bronze sphere, but considering the fact that it lead to a planet full of treasure, really he was expecting more trouble. Just thinking about holding all that treasure in his hands was exciting, and also, strangely terrifying what would he do with all that money? He couldn't use all of it in his lifetime or the next ten lifetimes.

"…Imbecilic and I mean that in a very caring way."

People would kill for that type of money, people have killed for that kind of money, bringing home that treasure could endanger his mother. Someone could kidnap her for ransom, or even Dr. Doppler, as kooky as he was, Jim still loved him for taking care if his mother so well. He had wanted freedom but was money really going to give him that? For instance standing in the captain's office was oppressing enough.

"May I see the map?"

Jim's head jerked up. The feline stared at him, tail twitching. She wanted the map. But it was his map, he found it. Jim glared back at her, this is why he hated adults, they always expected him to comply with everything they said. He grit his teeth hand clenching around the map protectively. The captain starred down at him imperiously knowing she was in the right as they glared at each other. Finally Jim looked away and tossed her the map. Instantly feeling the loss as she locked it away, missing its comforting weight in his pocket.

"From now on you will address me as captain or ma'am understood?"

Jim clenched his jaw, really not wanting to say anything just to be spiteful.

"Mr. Hawkins?"

Jim finally ground out, "yes ma'am."

She frowned "That'll do."

She addressed Dr. Doppler and Jim turned away hating himself for giving her that much power, but what could he do? She could toss him off the ship and his journey would've ended before it even began, Jim was reckless, but he wasn't stupid.

The captain paused in her relentless slew of back handed insults at the doctor, "What did I say? I said something rather good this morning before coffee." She turned to her first mate.

He supplied, "a ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots, ma'am" he bowed.

"There you are! Poetry."

Jim sighed, now he didn't have to worry about turning into the doctor but he did have to worry about turning into the captain's lapdog.

"Doctor, I'd love to chat, tea, cakes, the whole shebang, but I have a ship to launch and you have an outfit to buff up."

Jim turned away to smile, Dr. Doppler's unfortunate fashion choice was giving him all sorts of grief today.

"Mr. Hawkins will be working for our cook! Mr. Silver."

Jim looked up, "wait. What?!"

Clank. "That woman! That feline! Who does she think is working for whom?" The doctor clumped down the stairs indignantly.

"It's my map and she's got me busting tables!" Jim said angrily.

He was learning all the noises that heap of metal could make, now including clattering down stairs.

The first mate laid a heavy hand on their shoulders, "I will not tolerate a cross word about out captain, there's not a finer one in this, or any, galaxy."

He put his hands behind his back again. Jim's attention was drawn away from the imposing first mate by whistling coming from a figure silhouetted by a stove fire.

"Mr. Silver!"

The silhouette moved, "Why, Mr. Arrow sir!" he stepped out into the light, "bringing such distinguished guest to grace me humble galley," he turned placing a mechanical arm against his chest his right side coming into view to reveal a mechanical leg, arm and eye. "If I had known I would've tucked in me shirt." He jokingly tucks his apron into his trousers.

The doctor was staring and Jim was glaring. The leg hissed and clanked as the arm whirred, the glowing eye roaming around in its socket. The cook was a cyborg, a cyborg! He could be the same cyborg that had burned down his home! The same cyborg that had killed a man.

"Mr. Silver, meet the financier of our voyage, Dr. Doppler."

The first man shoved the doctor forward to stumble clanging and banging up to the cyborg. He looked over him with his mechanical eye a laser following his sight.

"Lovely outfit doc."

The doctor tried, unsuccessfully, to cover himself from the roaming laser, "thank you! Lovely eye."

He awkwardly looked for help, eager to get out from under the spotlight he grabbed Jim's elbow to place him between him and the creepy cook desperate enough to throw the young man under the bus.

"This young man is Jim Hawkins!" he supplied and retreated.

"Jimbo!" the cyborg thrusted a manic hand under Jim's nose, "whoops!" he changed it to a more normal looking hand, the other swiveling back into his metal arm disappearing to be stored there until the cook needed it again.

Jim glared at the cook. Who narrowed his eyes at the teenager for a split second before pulling his wide mouth into a smile.

"Don't be put off by this hunk of hardware," he turns away taking a handful of prawns, "it takes some getting used to but," he chops the crustacean's heads off tossing them into a skillet, "it comes in mighty handy from time to time."

In a dazzling display off flipping and switching he chopped, cooked and stirred all with the use of his mechanical right hand. It was flashy and showy and impressive. But Jim frowned, he was not impressed, he kept his eyes narrowed at the mechanical man, suspicion marking the cook red in his mind. It could be him, but the cook's personality didn't exactly match that of a greedy bloodthirsty killer's, but Jim was smart, he knew the cook's jolly personality was as fake and phony as the his smile, Jim didn't know what kind of personality he would reveal if he peeled that mask away, but he was sure it wasn't that of a humble cook and Jim was almost afraid to know. Maybe it would be like lifting a rock to see all the creepy crawly things slithering around underneath it, squirming in a huge disgusting mass trying to hide from the light. And the child who lifts the rock often learns, sometimes it's better to never look under the rock even if you'll never know what's underneath. Maybe he wasn't a bad cyborg, everyone had something to hide, what was the chance that the cook was the pirate who burned down their inn? Jim only let that thought grace his mind for a moment, he wasn't that squeamish child, he was always the one who wasn't afraid to get dirty who needed to satisfied his curiosity, for better or for worse.

"Hey…" he was interrupted by a loud cry.

"Silver!"

Jim turned just in time to see the golden eyed girl launch herself from the stairs and fly past him to tackle the cook he was scrutinizing. Tackle wasn't really the word for it. The sturdy cook didn't even sway when the girl nearly bounced off him, she wrapped her arms around his meaty neck clinging to his chest. The cook looked extremely surprised, his fleshy face open in shock.

"What? Wren?! What are you doing here?"

She jumped down off his chest, happily smiling the very picture of an excited teenager, rather different from the tough sailor Jim had seen outside.

"I just got back from the Jinorian galaxy when I heard you were working this ship! I just had to go with you just like old times! So I got in touch with Dr. Doppler, hi there doc!" she waved and turned back to silver. "And I got hired and here I am! I've been looking everywhere for you! I had no idea you were the cook! I remember when you wouldn't be caught dead cooking!"

She laughed grasping his one good hand as Silver looked slightly flustered but happy none the less.

"Well it's good to see you again too girlie," he smiled a genuine smile, "you've grown quite a bit in the last year."

The girl put her hand on her hip and rolled her eyes, "Silver, I'm not growing anymore."

Silver laughed, "of course not! With the way you eat!" The girl grin that lopsided grin and Jim could still see that fiery girl from earlier.

"I'm not gonna eat any better with your cooking."

"My cooking is great! And who taught you to talk to me that way? I hope you've been hanging with the right company."

She sits on the counter leaning back against the cabinets, "a lot can happen in a year, and apparently you learned to cook in one so who says a girl can't change?"

He frowns, "It ain't all that bad!" he turns to the three spectators of the strange pairing, "seriously, she's exaggerating! One bad rabbit stew and she goes and tells everyone I'm a bad cook!"

"silver."

"and after we've known each other for so long."

"silver!"

"What is it!?" he says turning to her,

"Your stew's burning."

"My stew!" Silver flew over to his stew, moving much faster than a man his size with a limp should be able to move.

The girl glanced over at Jim and raised her brows. See? Silver turns off the stove and sips the bubbling mixture smacking his lips.

"oh," he ladles the gloopy stuff into two bowls and hands them to the doctor and Jim. "Here, have a taste of me famous bonzabi stew." He smiles simply oozing charm.

The girl hops off the counter and peers into the pot curiously, "interesting."

She reaches for the ladle and Silver smacks her hand, "paws off, if you can't appreciate good cooking don't eat it."

The girl pouts but settles back on her counter. Jim looks into his bowl, the gloopy lumpy mixture looking very unappetizing. The doctor sniffs the steaming bowl and laps some of it up with his tongue.

"Mhm! Delightfully tangy! Yet robust."

Silver laughs, "old family recipe."

The doctor leans down to lap up some more when an eyeball pops up to bob on the surface. He lets out a surprised scream.

"eugh!"

The cyborg laughs at the doctors cry, "and that must be part of the old family!" he laughs loudly at his own joke wrapping a meaty arm around the doctors shoulders.

The girl smiles, smirking slightly at the joke, completely returning to the hard girl Jim had met outside.

"Go ahead Jimbo! Have a swig."

Silver elbows Jim and he looks down at the stew swallowing uncomfortably at the bubbling mass making strange noises. He holds the spoon readying himself to swallow the lumpy liquid. Suddenly the spoon morphed into a mouth that swallowed the spoonful of the stew and Jim gasped. The spoon sliding out of his grip to slurp up the rest of the stew. A pink blob emerging from the bowl to burb and stare contently up at Jim with huge eyes, chirruping as it flew circles around him. Had the stew just mutated into a pink living blob? Can food really do that? Jim was really starting to rethink this trip.

"Morph! That's where you were hiding!"

The pink blob flew up to Silver to cuddle against his neck.

"I thought you was taking a nap you naughty little urchin." He admonished in a nurturing tone. Jim sighed, it seemed the gluttonous blob was just a pet, a strange pet for the large cook considering that it was rather cute and he was most definitely not.

"Hey morph!" the pink blob glanced up to see the girl sitting casually on the counter. "Remember me?"

She smiled a predatory grin and Morph's eyes widened, seeing Wren it squeaked and hid behind Silver trembling in terror.

The girl gave a short harsh laugh, "I guess you do." The doctor and Jim both stared at the harmless looking girl, reassessing if she was really harmless or not. What had she done to warrant the loving blob's fear? A horn blared above deck and everyone glanced up.

"Would you like to see the launch Doctor?" The stoic first mate finally said motioning to the stairs.

The Doctor immediately perked up, "would I? Does an active galactic nucleus have super luminal jets?" Insert awkward silence here, "I'll follow you."

Jim moved to follow him but the stone man put a fist against Jim's chest.

"Mr. Hawkin's will stay here, in your charge."

The cook spat out his mouthful of stew. "What?" he looked desperate, "but Mr. Arrow sir!"

"Captains orders!" The stone man looked at the girl sitting on the counter, "and you! Get to work! What do we pay you for?"

The girl mumbles, "you don't pay me."

"I leave Mr. Hawkin's to you Mr. Silver."

"but!"

"come on"

"I can't"

"he's just!"

They drowned out each other's pleading cries but when the first mate leaves they both sigh rubbing their foreheads. Jim and Silver both glance at each other taking on looks of nonchalance as the girl watches smiling to herself, they were similar those two, more than either would probably admit.

"So…" Jim starts, glancing at Silver's mechanical leg and casually picking up a purple perp.

He glances quickly at Wren picking up spoons and cups from the tables looking busy.

He looks at the perp in his hand, "you know back on Montresser we had perps just like these."

He tossed the fruit back in forth in his hand, testing dangerous waters. Silver knew what the boy was doing and played along.

"Really?"

Jim looked up at Silver's turned back, "yeah, you know just before I left I met this old guy looking for a cyborg buddy of his."

Jim knew now that he was treading on thin ice but it was too late to turn back now, if Silver really was the pirate, he would react one of two ways, lie or kill Jim on the spot, the lynch pin of it was the girl, would Silver risk killing Jim while she was there? Pressing his hand to his head in mock thought, he looked at the cook from the corner of his eye.

"What was his name?" he trailed off knowing all the people in the room knew he was pretending, "oh, Bones. Billy Bones." He said slowly watching the cook for a reaction of any sort.

Silver poured out a steaming stream of water from a pot, "Bones? Bones." He turned around shaking his head, "nope, can't say I heard of him." He put the pot down on the counter pointing to his shoulder, "but there's a slew of cyborgs these days, plenty with this part."

Jim glared at him eyes narrowed, not masking his suspicion.

"I know a Billy Bones!"

Jim swiveled his head almost giving himself whip lash to look at the girl who was grinning.

"That ancient turtle sold me a belt from the Yung planet once!"

She wiped down a bowl and cast a conspiring glance at Jim, which Silver missed.

"it was a total rip off, don't buy anything from him." She winked and Jim suddenly felt very foolish. "As they say never make a deal with a sailor." She got up stacking the bowls and cups, "well I actually I have a job to do above deck so see ya!"

Jim watched her jog up the stairs.

The cook smiled, "go ahead and watch the launch Jimbo."

The boy looked up at the cook barely concealed hope shining in his eyes warring with his suspicion and need to stay cool. Wren turned around as well waiting to see if Jim would be going up to the deck with her and when he saw her waiting his heart gave a little leap.

"Go on."

Jim didn't forget his suspicion though, just pushed it back as he followed the girl up the stairs. He didn't catch the look that passed between Silver and Wren and he didn't know how out of his depth he really was.

When the two were gone Silver turned to his pet who finally came out after Wren had left. The blob rubbed against his rough cheek.

"Hey there Morph," he sighed. Silver's plan had already hit two rough patches, "what should we do?"

He thought about his latest dilemma. Jim who had his suspicions right on the bulls eye the boy was smart, and now his charge, he wouldn't get a moment alone. And Wren who already knew at least part of Silver's plan and Silver himself, she was a loose cannon, not only did he not know how she would bounce if she figured out what he was doing, if she chose his side, the crew wouldn't like the extra member. Silver thought hard not liking where this was going.

"What should I do morph?" the blob just looked curiously at his owner and let out a questioning chirrup. The pirate sighed, petting the blob who giggled. What a silly thing morph was, loving anyone unconditionally, his love almost blinding him to any danger that approached him until it was almost too late. What a silly thing love was, Silver absentmindedly tickled the blob under its chin.

Then he smiled. Of course, it was so simple.

"It's really so easy once you think about it morph."

Silver just had to distract the both of them, and what better way to distract them, then with each other? Killing two birds with one stone. He just had to play matchmaker, he loved Wren like a daughter but no family was getting in the way of him and Flint's treasure.

He smiled, "oh that's just perfect." He nearly cackled in glee marveling in his genius.

Silver felt like he held everyone's strings in his hand. He looked at his mechanical hand and wiggled his fingers, metal joints creaking and smiled. But the puppet master didn't know he had his strings pulled. The universe unloaded its massive responsibility onto him, probably laughing as it ran away. It passed the responsibility of teaching a young irresponsible boy how to be a man and to finally love and trust again. To teach a girl's weathered heart to feel once more. To bring two of the most unloving people in the galaxy together. The universe barely, tentatively had its hook in one and had titanium hooks bouncing off the other. The Universe had fled screaming from its task already daunted by the fearsome pair.

Now Silver with no cosmic help whatsoever had to bring those fierce teenagers together, he had to bring a hurting boy to his senses and build a love boat for a girl who believed love boats don't exist.


	3. Launching Complications

Wren examined the scars along her outstretched arm. There weren't too many, the most recent must have been the one running across her forearm from a bar fight in Milan, Karma worked in weird ways, she tried to help out a drunk guy about to get his head smashed in and she gets sliced by a broken bottle. Where was the justice in the world? In fact most of her scars were from helping people, the one on her wrist was from an orphan stowaway, the one near her elbow from a stray dog getting beat by a bunch of kids, and a really faint one, almost gone from the years, from helping one pirate destroy another. If she only got scars from her good deeds, the few that she's done, what lesson was the universe trying to teach her? Don't help people? Not that she ever listened to the lessons someone was trying teach her anyways but a little incentive wouldn't hurt. She sighed, when was the captain going to give the order?

Wren leaned back holding the rope, feet firmly planted against the mast balanced perilously over the edge, but it was business as usual. She shuffled sideways along the beam legs propped against the side to make room for another sailor running along the beam. She waited, one arm grasping the rope high and the other hand bringing the rope across her body held at her waist. Her weight settled on the rope swinging back and forth. Looking up at the taught rope she imagined it unraveling and snapping, the thick fibers finally giving out on her to send her plummeting to the deck below. It was a thought she often had hanging over the edge of a beam swaying in the wind, weight held by a long piece of woven hemp. At first it had been a scary thought, unbidden and unwanted, but now it was a welcomed old friend, a voice of caution, reminding her of her mortality. Wren had to constantly remind herself of her mortality, not because she was assured in her longevity, but because she was always just one mistake away from losing that living status. Of course she also had to constantly remind herself that living wouldn't be living if she sat in a corner rocking back and forth staring at a barricaded door.

"Loose all solar sails!" Wren shifted her weight to rest on the beam and let go of the rope. She stepped back to watch as the sails unfurled shining in the sunlight. The white and gold shone sparkling simultaneously. Wren loved being part of a crew once again, sailors working in unison to bring a ship out of the harbor and you could just taste the anticipation in the air. The familiar feeling of the ship starting to float up made her feel lighter. She smiled and looked down at the deck thirty feet below, the voice of caution blaring loud in her ears. She quickly smothered it with a smile, holding her arms out she jumped off the mast, her stomach dropped and her heart rose to her throat every sense awake and alarmed. She fell through space, quickly falling at first then slowing down as the ship departed from the planet's gravity. Her beating heart settled, the jump never got any less exciting every time she risked her neck to do it. She floated downwards and came face to face with Jim Hawkins floating up.

"Hey." she waved grinning.

He blushed, "Oh! Hi."

"Mr. Snuff! Engage artificial gravity!" They both looked over at the pink slug suction cupped to the deck, the flatulla creature let out a series of noises. Wren smiled and saluted Jim turning sideways she pressed her feet against the mast and pushed away flying across the deck. The slug pulled a lever activating the artificial gravity and everything banged back to the ground. Wren flipped once and landed on her feet in front of an ugly one eyed alien. She stood arms raised, back straight and flashed a winning smile at the creature who seemed stunned, "what do you think? I'll give it a nine out of ten." He just stared up at her star struck, seeing his hesitation she winked, "guess you missed it huh, my bad." She turned around and saw a fat bearded sailor staring at her, "you then! You saw it! What would you rate it?" The bearded sailor just blinked. The lights against the mast blinked on the engines charging up full of sunlight. The ship floating higher and higher.

"A nine?"

Lights along the mast lit up showing the sunlight flooding into the engines. You could faintly hear the turbines powering up, the deck rumbled, humming with impatience the whole of her aching to take off. Jim could feel the entire ship arch beneath his feet ready to leap forward.

The captain stuck her nose in the air, "Full speed Mr. Arrow!"

Mr. Arrow turned and yelled into a tube, "Take her away!" his voice rang to the lower decks.

Wren pouted, "at least an eight for the landing…"

Suddenly the ship burst forward, the sudden jerk making several items flying back. A grey metal bulb shooting past everyone and rolling across the planks to crash into a wall. Dr. Doppler lay tangled upside down on the ground one arm through his neck hole rolling back and forth in an effort to get up. The ship shot off into the stars leaving the bustle of the space port behind. Jim stumbled back not expecting the world to shift underneath him. He was forced back and one of his fumbling feet got caught on something. He swung his arms out, the artificial gravity taking effect and with uncharacteristic clumsiness he fell over. Well, almost.

"You okay there Jim?"

Jim looked up. A hand was wrapped around his arm. A rather nice hand, frail delicate bones wrapped in strong muscle, a delicate frame supported by hard won strength, long tapered fingers and rough calluses. A few faint dark scars lined the back, knife scars, old knife scars, the owner of this hand either didn't use knives anymore or hadn't allowed a scar in the last few years. It was a hardworking hand, strong and yet strangely gentle. Jim's eyes wandered up the arm attached delicately to a small wrist. Lean muscle rippled underneath tanned skin connecting to a small shoulder. It was as if the entire arm had been built to the frame of a small girl, meant for needle work and quiet feminine tasks, but it was sculpted and created into the arm of a hardened sailor. The evidence of the once fragile creature was hidden in the joints and fine bones of the hand covered in sinew and hard muscle. The smooth shoulder connected beautifully to the long graceful neck, an unmistakably feminine quality that couldn't be couldn't be covered, but was attempted to by the collar of the white shirt flapping in the breeze drawing even more attention, to the point of distraction, to the smooth skin. Jim's gaze made its way up to the artistic jaw, curved to perfection like some sculptors loving hand had made a masterpiece and he suddenly felt a very strong envy of that sculptor.

"Jim?"

His eyes shot to hers and he blushed.

"Yeah. I'm good."

Wren pulled him to his feet, "first time in space?"

Jim frowned, "yeah."

Wren smiled and patted him on the shoulder and said sarcastically, "I couldn't tell."

Jim looked at the ground and grit his teeth together. Wren frowned the boy was a fresh sailor, not even out of school, he looked a bit too sheltered to belong on a ship like this. And for his first journey to be so long, it was going to be difficult for him. Wren didn't pity Jim, she couldn't bring herself to pity anyone anymore. Sink or swim, the world was a cruel place and the weak had no place in it.

"Just don't make it obvious and you'll be fine." She grins at him and walks away. Weak or not, if she was gonna be on the same ship with the guy for a few months he'd damn well be a good enough sailor not to kill her. Because she had lived through worst things and it would be sad if a little boy would be the end of her. She stuck her hands in her pockets and strolled around on the deck of the ship. The Orcus groaned around her, their haunting songs echoing among the vast stars. She looked over and saw Jim had completely ignored her advice and was dangling half off the ship smiling like a kid in a candy store. He might as well just write 'nookeree' across his forehead or any variation thereof, including but not limited to, rookie, greenhorn, fledgling, and tyro. She hoped for his sake there was steel underneath those wide eyes, she nearly laughed at how much she seemed to care, but she wouldn't wish that kind of punishment upon anyone. Now that he had painted a red target on his back the veterans of the cosmos will show the virgin sailor that a ship can be the worst hell imaginable. But the mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, and a hell of heaven. Wren smiled, So Jim Hawkins, which will it be?

Wren of course had her own problems to worry about without the distraction of the brown eyed boy. She had to learn what Silver was planning, what he was after. Earn the trust of the captain and doctor, find weaknesses and strengths, he plate was full. And perhaps most importantly, and certainly most pressing, was to earn the respect of the crew. Because if they weren't pirates, as she guessed, they were at least a hard crew of sailors who would only look your way if you could curse faster than you could sail and knew how to break a man's hand without the use of your own. Wren knew hard sailors drank heavy and spit often and would never respect a girl sailor, especially one as young as she was, without a little nudge in the right way, or a shove, or a kick in the bum.

"can you believe there's only three shower crystals? I mean within the week we'll all be gagging at Noran's smell alone!"

"Hey!"

The high voice sounded like it was dragging a cat through a cheese grater.

"I'm just saying, I ain't want your stink clogging up my nose every goddamn day!"

"Well maybe you should smell your own self before talking about me!"

"What's wrong with it? It's Gamki oil from Yourba! It's what all the land whores are using!"

A new voice entered the conversation, low and warbling.

"you couldn't be whore if the buyer's Jorkin blind."

"Well you can go Jork yourself, cause I'm exotic where I come from!"

"Well then Goddamn-ass-ugly must be exotic."

"You Gorathian Lorgak!"

The offended two handed Doxie, if you could really call her a female at all, launched herself at the beaked sailor screaming insults and curses tearing at his feathers. He squawked in protest trying to shake the enraged sailor off.

"Hey! You two love birds bettin or what?"

They both stopped slapping each other and turned to the ring of sailors, betting was like a trigger word for them, "on who?"

"Ruphus and horseblood."

The whining one scrambled off of the other's feathered head, "put me down for a silver coin on Ruphus!"

"Me too!"

It was obvious why Ruphus was a favorite, he was huge, each of his four muscled arms as thick as tree a trunk. Mean squinty eyes and an under bite made him seem like any other goon. He was easily five times bigger than Wren and had at least five hundred pounds on her. Wren watched the arm wrestling contest leaning against the mast.

"And, go!"

The shouts barely had time to start before the huge brute smashed the paunchy sailor's arm down on the crate. The brute stood up and roared turning around raising his four arms in triumph. He would do perfectly. Several cries of either victory or defeat yelled out as Wren made her way over to the crate set up for the sailor's contest. The victor was collecting coins thrown his way leering and assured in his absolute dominance of strength.

"Alright whose next?" The small multieyed creature announced in a squeaking voice looking around in several directions at once. The acceptably large audience murmured ready to make more bets.

Wren sauntered casually over to the crate and plopped herself down. Enjoying the absolutely shocked silence that accompanied her challenge, maybe just a bit too much. She looked up at the four armed tank, his glare not that impressive considering the probable size of his brain, his already squinted eyes narrowing further and she grins at him. Wren flipped her hair back and looked at the small announcer, "this is open to everyone right?" It wasn't really a question. All thirteen eyes blinked at once in surprise.

"hey girl what do you think you're doing here?"

Wren turned around and looked at the speaker it was the same bearded sailor from earlier.

"I'm arm wrestling this guy. I mean I guess I can arm wrestle him over near the stern but why waste the time?" She grins confidently at the fat sailor. The other sailors whisper behind her and she shrugs turning back to the champion and holds her toothpick of an arm out to him. "We gonna go?"

"You stupid or something girl? He's gonna break your arm."

Wren smiles stupidly, "we'll see." With that smile they all suddenly assumed she was just some stupid naïve sailor about to do something hilariously idiotic and they all wanted to watch it happen. They started placing bets laughing at Wren. Good she had them right where she wanted.

"Three seconds for the girl."

"Two seconds!"

"Break two fingers!"

"break one!"

Not a single person bet remotely close to her winning. Wren laughed along smiling and turned back to her competitor shooting him a serious look unsettling him just enough. She put her arm back up

"Don't go easy on me." she said.

He frowned suspiciously, "I will not."

"Don't break her arm yet!" shouted a sailor with an eye patch.

The giant put his arm up angling it low so that Wren could reach and still have her elbow on the table. She fumbled around a little trying to grasp his hand with her tiny one, seriously she looked like a doll next to him, her fingers trying vainly to wrap around his palm. Finally after much experimenting she settled to grabbing his thumb, barely reaching all the way around. The sailors chuckled and the announcer put a tentacle up. Wren's expression remained empty and stupidly cheerful. "Ready!" She gripped Ruphus' thumb, "set!" she turned her wrist slightly and the stupidity left her face, "Go!" like someone flicked a switch her eyes lost their vapid look and her sudden intensity was smeared by the absolutely confident grin that was always present on her lips. The tank barely had time to press her twig like arm at all. Wren's back muscles tensed her entire shoulder flexing and with what seemed like barely any effort at all she smashed the King's arm into the crate, the wood actually splintering as the massive hand crashed down. The cheering stopped, the audience silent. Wren paused, letting the audience have time to react. When they didn't wren loosened her grip, letting the pinned and most likely bruised hand out from under her. The silence seemed just too funny to Wren, their wide eyed disbelief was comical, coins held in their hands, some jaws actually hitting the deck.

"oops. Sorry." She said, not sorry at all. The slow lazy smile crept its way back in. "Hope I didn't break anything." Wren stood up looking around at their faces, she wanted respect. She got what she wanted, but as a bonus also a certain measure of fear. Fear was always a nice little gimmick to have in your back pocket. She put one hand back in her pocket, "so do I get any money from this?" she asked the multieyed sailor who was shocked out of his shock. He looked up at her smile, finally learning, as many have before him, that it was a very dangerous smile, at least he learned it before the owner of that dazzling smile put him in a ditch, that was more than most could say, not that they could say much anymore.

Silver looked on with a small smile on his face. Wren had grown immensely over the past year, not just physically either, although the enormous strength was a new and freighting feature. But scarier than that inhuman strength, scarier than besting a giant five times her size in a battle of muscle; Wren had gotten smarter, the girl had always been brilliant, streetwise, academically intelligent, but beyond her magnetic personality, she was socially awkward, with her past and strange parenting who could blame her. But now she had just effortlessly jumped that hurdle and looked into the stands locking eyes with her mentor and impishly gave him a grin while skipping backwards mouthing the words, what else can I do that you don't know about? And although it frustrated Silver a certain pride came from watching his student just turned the tables on a whole crew of the worst pirates in the galaxy, earning a very large portion of respect from them in a single deft move, a brilliantly devised and absolutely beautifully executed move. The girl's personality had even changed, she was no longer the child Silver picked up off the streets. And for the thirtieth time he wondered what had happened over the past year. She had cut all ties with Silver showing him what her priorities where. But no matter, Silver firmly made up his mind, no matter how much history they had together Silver had to keep his one last good eye on the treasure, a treasure he needed, a treasure he deserved, a treasure he craved with an ache so deep he never slept without gold coins and jewels seeping in and intruding his dreams, not that he minded, because in his dreams he could feel the cold gleaming metal run through both of this meaty hands. Hard edges of gems, diamonds glittering and rubies sparkling. The loot of a thousand worlds. Hopefully it was all it was cracked up to be.

Wren laughed she took one of the silver coins from the pile that was now hers and flipped it at Ruphus who was fuming, his tiny brain working hard to figure out how a little girl had beaten him. Wren could practically see the gears, which could fit into a watch, turning ferociously behind his beady eyes. The coin landed spinning infront of him, "so how about another go?" Wren knew his pride was too hurt to allow him to walk away, pride was a dangerous thing to have. She smiled feeling her victory edge closer. The giant paused, cogs still laboring away. Taking that tiny hesitation she moved into the end game, "of course if you're scared its fine," she allowed him to soak it in, "how about this, you can use two hands instead of one this time!" She smiled. The giant decided the last time was a fluke and put two of his arms up, Wren grinned, check mate mother

"Ms. Wren may I have word with you in my office?" Captain Amelia looked down at the circle of rowdy sailors. Everyone's eyes, multiple and singular, shot to the very popular girl and Wren almost flipped the crate in her frustration. She put her head down cursing under breath, clenching her jaw. The captain glared imperiously down at the dark haired girl, absolutely ruining Wren's plans and destroying her fragile set up. Damn it, Damn it! Wren would have to start all over again. Wren pulled her face back into view fixing that confident, self-assured smile back on. "Sure thing Cap." Wren casually stood up and looked at the other sailors. They frowned pityingly at the girl, they were on her side. But Wren didn't want pity, she wanted complete and utter respect, terror and fear if she could get it, anything but pity. She smiled lazily at the crew showing them her lack of fear and winked at them, "I'll be back!" She turned to the giant, "we'll finish up later all right?" She didn't notice the insect thing stare suspiciously at her. She gave a sarcastic salute and jogged up to where the captain was waiting standing poised and at attention in her high heeled boots. Wren's boots tapped up the stairs sauntering up next to the captain. Wren leaned against the banister looking back at the cat captain and smiled convincingly.

"It's a grand day for sailing capt'n and look at ya your as trim and bonnie as a ship with new sails and a fresh coat of paint" Silver who was standing below takes off his hat smiling stickily up at the imposing cat woman.

The captain was momentary distracted by the large cook and Wren was ready to throw a brick at Silver.

"You can keep that sort of flimflamery for your space port flop Silver." The captain said and Wren narrowed her eyes at Silver she was going to use that same play with the captain and now Silver had taken it. Today was not going as smoothly as she had planned. Wren had mere seconds to come up with another persona. Morph had transformed into a surprisingly accurate annoying version of the captain and Silver smiled uneasily scooping the pink blob up in his hat, "I speak nothing but me heart at all times!" flattering the woman's ego.

She frowns looking at Jim hanging off the ship gazing at the stars. "And um by the way isn't that your cabin boy aimlessly footling around in those shrouds?"

It seemed Silver was a little too busy selling himself, he looked over surprised at the brown haired boy swinging around the ropes. He smiled putting his hands together. "A moment in the aberration capt'n soon to be addressed." He turns to the boy putting his fists on his hips, "Jimbo!" Wren decided without the fall back personality of jolly and subservient if slightly annoying flatterer, she had nothing else to go on that wouldn't be a complete detriment to herself. The captain and herself were compete opposites, the captain came off as strict and stern but fair, while Wren came off as loose, volatile and dangerous. It was inevitable that they were going to clash, Wren nearly sighed. If she had to lose the captain to gain the crew then so be it. Besides, it would be much more enjoyable and exciting then flattering that by the book stick in the mud.

"You were going to say something captain?" Wren changed her demeanor and speech completely crossing her arms in front of her chest. The captain turned stiffly to face the girl leaning lazily against the banister, but was poised like a cat ready to pounce, a tension Amelia knew very well. The captain's tail twitched instinctively. Her large cat eyes staring at Wren's half smile trying to decipher it. Amelia frowned and turned part way not trusting the girl enough to turn her back to her. "This way please."

Wren stalked past the captain and smiled smugly up at the older woman, "of course."

Silver watched the two disappear into the office from the corner of his eye. An interesting combination those two were, they would undoubtedly come to blows over something. They were too similar not to. Despite their obvious differences they had unchangeable similarities. A need for control and a stubbornness that could move galaxies. No one could see past their differences as vast as they seemed to be. The captain with her uptight nose in the air, feeling better than everyone. Wren charming, snarky and spunky, not afraid to get her hands dirty knee deep in the mud with her comrades. Amelia was taller than the small girl, undeniably female, short professional bob and curves to match, a voice that constantly reminded you of a bossy, nagging mother. Wren on the other hand with the right shirt could be mistaken for a young boy, a very pretty young boy, with her lean muscled arms and slim figure, a walk mastered after years of living with other men. Her charm and smooth voice had sent girls flocking to her when they scammed a rich, rather dumb, young heiress a few years back. She had successfully spent almost three years as a cabin boy on Silver's ship when he first brought her on. Unfortunately, the second Wren lost that special sailor's shirt she lost all her boyish charm in an instant, turning back into a very pretty girl, a hard lesson Silver had learned years back. He rubbed his face, his head aching from thinking too hard. One year had been all it took for Wren to become a total mystery to Silver. He hated to admit it but he missed the girl. He had God damn missed her. Their relationship had always been convoluted, he didn't know what she thought of him, and he had made damn well sure she didn't know what he thought of her. And now it was a bit too late to clarify things.

"Wow, sweet place you got here Cap." Wren walked in whistling at her surroundings. She turned around looking at the gold trimming on the walls and interesting accessories that were completely unnecessary on a boat. She found a chair and sat in it without waiting for an invitation and the captain's tail twitched faster. Wren propped one foot up on her knee since there was no table nearby and leaned back in the plush white chair, "so, what did you want to say?" Captain Amelia frowned at the girl's blatant disrespect. She paced over to sit behind her own desk lacing her fingers together, "let me make it clear to you Ms. Wren, that even though you are a girl I will treat you no differently than any other crew member on this ship. I will respect you as a fellow female sailor but with that respect comes certain responsibilities." Wren grinned suddenly realizing what their conversation was to be about, she lowered her gaze upon the captain. Almost laughing at the turn of events.

"I see that you are young and impulsive so I'm setting guidelines." Wren let out a harsh laugh and the captain frowned before continuing.

"We have a young man and quite a few older men on this ship and I expect that you will maintain your relationships to be strictly professional, any inkling of something beyond a platonic friendship and I will have you off this ship, for your safety and theirs." Wren could barely keep her laughter in. Oh this lady did not know who she was dealing with and how wrong she was. The very thought of Wren getting into any sort of relationship bordered on comic insanity.

"You will operate with safety in mind, air on the side of prudence and please know that you will share a bedroom with me to avoid any chances of a crew member taking advantage of you." This woman was hilarious, somebody taking advantage of her? She wished Silver was here to hear this.

The captain got up "I want you to have very special caution concerning Mr. Hawkins, since you are both young and are of the same species there is a risk of…" Wren burst out into uncontrollable laughter. The captain stopped midsentence irritation rolling off of her in waves. Amelia glared at the girl bent over in laughter getting the distinct impression that she was laughing at her. It took a while for the harsh laughter to die down. Wren wiped away a fake tear a stood up. She looked at the captain finally getting her laughter under control and smiling.

"Don't worry I wouldn't even think about it even if he and I were the last two people on an exploding planet." Captain Amelia couldn't handle this girl's contempt of the rules, her blatant disrespect of the captain.

"look Ms. Wren."

Wren snapped, "no you look I don't need you to impose your rules upon me, do you think I'd be here if I let every handsome sailor coming my way knock me up? No. So if your respect me, which you don't, you would leave me alone."

"Ms. Wren."

"And don't think you have a right to talk to me about platonic relationships," Wren smiled at the captain's unease, "oh don't look so surprised, I've been on this ship for an entire three hours, as if it wasn't obvious."

Captain Amelia frowned, "Mr. Arrow and I have a strictly working relationship."

Wren smiled sticking her face right up to Amelia's, "Is that what he tells you when you're bouncing around on…"

"That's enough Ms. Wren." The Captain's face was stony and Wren's smile was savage, she had obviously struck a chord.

"You will bunk with me." Amelia was right back on track, and Wren rolled her eyes.

"Didn't I just say, I don't need you meddling with my life?" She sighed rubbing her forehead.

"No matter, this is for your own safety."

Wren laughed, "I can handle myself. I've proven that time and time again. I'm bunking with the crew." The captain just wanted to throw the grandfather clock at the antagonizing little girl and break that smug little grin on her face. After a moment to compose herself, the captain decided she was done trying to help this girl out.

"Fine," Wren smiled.

"But don't come running to me when someone tries something on you." The captain narrowed her eyes at the impudent little brat.

Wren almost burst out laughing again, "I wouldn't dream of it captain."

Amelia paced back to her desk, "very well, move your things and get yourself situated."

"Thank you captain." Wren saluted sarcastically smug victory playing itself across her face. Wren turned to leave and paused before closing the door, "just think of this as a win for you, after all, you'd need two beds." Wren grinned and closed the door behind her and hearing something smash into the oak door she grinned. Must've been one of the vases on the desk, shame, it looked kind of pretty. The crew looked up at the sound of something crashing and saw Wren standing victoriously at the door. That was way too much fun.

"The captain's a bitch." Wren launched herself over the banister landing on the deck, "I mean she tried to make me bunk with her, I ain't bunking with a cat lady with a stick up her arse." Wren saw the look of approval in the eyes of her crew mates. She had cemented her place among the crew, she could check one thing off her list, but had to cross one out too.

Jim pushed the mop around on the deck muttering to himself, "hello Mr. Mop." He halfheartedly pushed his new 'friend' against the grain of the wood. A huge muscled giant pushed his way past him, he stumbled back.

"watch it twerp."

Jim glared at the four armed menace and continued moping, picking up on whispered conversations. Sinister sounding whispers which stopped the moment he looked at them. He flopped the mop back and forth trying to look busy. Wren and Silver saw these exchanges with well trained eyes. Wren looked at Mr. Arrow pacing back and forth on the deck. Jim needed to weather this storm if the crew was to like him, roll with the punches as they say. Wren made her way over to the first mate remembering Captain Amelia's little embarrassing secret.

"Excuse me Mr. Arrow sir?" The rocky first mate turned to the small girl,

"Yes?"

Wren adopted an innocent unassuming expression.

"Well Captain Amelia told me to send you to see her, she wants to see you for something?" Wren let the confusion and naivety play across her face. The rocky man nodded,

"very well."

And with that all the higher authority was taken care of, the captain most likely still fuming, and a confused first mate trying to make sense of a woman's anger which always proved to be near about impossible. Silver saw Wren send the first mate away and narrowed his one good eye in suspicion.

Jim didn't notice the forces playing around him trying to listen to the sailor's conversation. A sudden chill ran up his spine, "Cabin boys should learn to mind their own business."

Jim looked up quirking an eyebrow, "Why? Got something to hide bright eyes?"

Things were escalating much quicker than expected, most likely because she was dealing with two completely stupid testosterone filled men, actually boy and spider thing, but the specifics didn't matter. What mattered is that stupid people tended to do stupid things, and had a knack for acting irrationally, and a person who acted irrationally was on the fast track to killing himself and everyone on board with him. And Wren didn't feel like dying because of someone else's stupidity.

The spidery sailor picked Jim up by his collar, "Maybe your ears don't work so well."

Jim coughed eyes watering, "yeah," he blinked, "to bad my nose works just fine."

The spider was absolutely livid, "why you little Rat!" He shoved Jim up against the mast holding him in the air with his claw as the crew came to life around the fight.

Silver actually contemplated shooting one or the other, maybe both, just to ease his headache.

Wren contemplated if 'rat' was really the best insult the spider could come up with. Seriously where was Silver finding his crew members? Did he just pick the one's lining the streets that looked like they had the lowest IQ? She wondered what happened to his, their, old crew, their old ship.

Jim dangled helplessly kicking the air, sharp incisors pressed against his throat.

"Any last words? Cabin boy?" The spider pulled his claw back ready to pound it into the struggling boy's throat. Jim kicked struggling to get away, he couldn't die here, not yet. His breath came out in short gasps, hands trying to push the claw away to free himself. The other hovering threatening pointed at him. The spider let out a yell and stabbed his claw down on Jim, Jim clenching his jaw so hard it hurt.

The spider's arm bit into wood, his amber eyes lighting with anger and he let out a ferocious yell trying to pull out his red claw. There was a huge roar from the crowd and Jim opened his eyes to find himself sprawled over a certain, very familiar girl.

"Why do I always find you falling?" She smiles at him.

Jim was surprised again but feeling that he just escaped an untimely demise he laughed in relief letting a slip of a real smile through and Wren blinked in surprise at his brilliant white teeth. He was a cutie after all.

Jim looked around and noticed that Silver had the Spider's arm twisted behind him, a metal clamp protruding from the cook's arm. What really intrigued Jim was how Wren had gotten underneath him. Of course he didn't allow that situation to remain for very long. He got up quickly and Wren rose to her feet smoothly after him. Jim was finally finding some of his usual calm, starting to take these strange experiences in stride.

"Sorry."

Wren smiled, "no, my bad. I helped you fall that time."

Jim was caught off balance again, it seemed that this girl was a pro at knocking him onto his butt. Wren decided it was time to test her newly found respect from this crew. Leaving Jim there, Wren stalked up to the spider and grinned lazily,

"Would you allow me a word Silver?" She knew Silver couldn't appear as the commander of this crew in front of Jim. Silver wasn't done chewing his sailor out but he smiled and knew Wren could do a better job.

"Be my guest." Wren nodded her thanks.

"You name? please."

"Jork off!"

"Where are you from?" Wren took a glove from her belt and put it on looking at the spider's spindly legs.

"why the hell you care?"

Wren smiled, "well I am gonna live here for the next few months and would like to ensure the health of everyone on this ship."

"The Jork?"

"don't worry, seven legs. Can I call you seven legs? As long as you play nice I won't be problem."

"Seven legs? What are you playing." He stopped mid sentence as Wren grabbed one of his long spindly legs.

"oh! Seems I missed counted, I can rectify that real fast." Her grips tightened on the leg and the entire crew seemed to be on the wire. Wren knew even with pirates a cabin boy earned a certain amount of protection while he learned how to be a sailor. A protection often provided by the captain and his first mate, a position she was currently gunning for, since she knew this was a newly formed crew few positions could be set.

"What's your business girl? The Cabin boy needs to earn his passage on this ship." The spider spat trying to dig himself out his predicament. And although that was true Wren couldn't allow this type of hazing to continue and she had to remind herself she didn't own this crew or else she would've blown this bugs brains out right here.

"Yes he does," she let his leg go, "but he can't do that dead can he?"

The spider hissed, "A Cabin Boy needs to respect a sailor."

Wren smiled turning her head slightly, "but I don't see a sailor here." She grinned. And Silver snorted into his hand.

"What did you say girl?"

Wren stepped up to the spider and pulled his face down to her eye level by his neck, "I said. I see no respectable sailor here." She spoke each word slowly as if to a child.

Jim, left by himself, was silently fuming. Not at being left alone, no, but that someone had to protect him. And a girl barely reaching his chin no less. At home he wouldn't have allowed this to happen, he would've beat whatever kid who tried to mess with him and not only that he was the one who did the saving. The sudden role reversal was sitting badly in his stomach and left a bad taste in his mouth. He was Jim Hawkins for crying out loud, the solar surfing, rule breaking, rebellious, Jim Hawkins of notoriety. Not some sniveling, weak momma's boy. He watched Wren yank at the sailor's neck with mixed feelings, surely he appreciated her help, but he hated it as well always priding himself for his independence. He hated relying on anybody, and owing someone was even worse.

"Silver will tell you about the last sailor who killed a cabin boy, between the both us there wasn't enough of him left to feed the fish." She whispered menacingly so that Jim couldn't hear.

"So keep that in mind from now on when you greet our friend." Wren already knew there was something important about Jim, she just needed to keep him alive long enough to find out what it was, and it was already proving to be a difficult task. Not only that but it would be such a shame to waste those dimples. Wren let the sailor's neck go and stepped back.

"Any words Silver?"

"Maybe I'll come up with something later." Wren stripped the glove off her hand and tucked it back into her belt. Just then Mr. Arrow walked out of the captain's office looking slightly bewildered. But seeing the menacing circle and exchanged glares he shouted.

"clear the deck you slobs! Let Mr. Hawkins do his job." The crew mumbled and retreated below decks the spider shoving past Jim.

"Watch your back Cabin boy."

Jim frowned and picked his mop up again.

"Right away Mr. Arrow sir!" Silver saluted the man. Wren was standing with her arms crossed glaring at the retreating back of the spider.

Silver rounded on the boy, "Jim! I gave you job!"

Jim spat back at him, "I was doing it! When that bug thing!"

"blimey! Your going to swab this deck and heaven help you if I come back and it's not done!"

Silver looked over at Wren and a sudden bout of inspiration hit him like a bolt of lightning.

"Wren." She looks up surprised.

"Yeah?"

"Keep an eye on this pup. Make sure he does his job."

Wren opens her mouth in protest, "oh no! I'll be out here all night!"

Silver tossed her an extra mop, "well then you can help him!"

Wren caught it and pointed it at Silver, "No, I already did my stint as a cabin boy!"

"and you were great at it."

Wren stabbed the large man in the chest, "don't you dare, he's your responsibility don't force him on me!"

Silver put his hands up trying to placate the livid teenager, "I'm just enlisting some help! Besides you young uns' can spend some quality time together away from an old man like me self."

Wren hated when Silver used that dumb personality on her. She trembled hand tightening around the wooden handle.

"I don't need someone to look after me." Jim paced over to the cook.

"Don't argue with me boy! Wren you're staying to watch him till this deck is shining! Glad we understand each other." The cook turned around and limped away disappearing under the deck.

Wren slaps the mop on the planks grinding her frustration out on the poor things. Jim starts scrubbing the deck. She turns around and shakes the floppy end of the mop at Jim making him take a step back.

"This is all your fault."

Jim furrows his brow, "wait, what? How?" He swats the mop away.

She puts the mop down, "next time I tell you something, take my advice."

"what advice?" he picks up the bucket moving to the edge of the deck.

"You just had to make those puppy eyes obvious didn't you?"

Puppy eyes? "puppy eyes?"

"Yes, those puppy eyes!" she pointed at his current puzzled expression.

"these are my eyes! What are you doing?" He watched the girl reach a hand into the bucket of water. She flicked her fingers at him spraying him with water. And he stumbled back.

"what the heck?"

"bad Jim."

Jim's mouth opened and Wren flicked him with more water.

"puppy eyes."

"I'm not!" wren splashed him.

"what did I say?"

"I'm" splash.

"Jim."

Jim finally glared at the girl his wet hair dripping onto the deck.

"See! Was that so hard?" she smiles crookedly. Jim blew his wet hair out of his face. Wren took a bandanna out from her belt and pats his face with it.

"Do you enjoy torturing me or something?" Jim glared at the girl drying his face.

"Oh come on Jim, I barely know you." Jim sighed

"and yet." Jim looked up and away trying to avoid eye contact with the strange girl that had appeared in his life.

"Here." Wren hands him the damp bandanna.

Jim looks at it, "um thanks, but I don't really"

"You'll need it." Jim looks up and sees Wren's impish grin once more and knew, their fortunate, albeit strange meeting was just the beginning of a very long and much stranger relationship.


End file.
